In the Courts

Posted 2/6/23

The following felony cases have either been tried in a court of law or have been settled ...

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In the Courts

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The following felony cases have either been tried in a court of law or have been settled without trial and are considered closed.

  • John Rodriguez Jr. was sentenced on Jan. 23 to one year and one month in state prison after pleading no contest to possession of a weapon by a convicted felon. Rodriguez was arrested in July 2022 during a traffic stop. A detective searched the vehicle and found brass knuckles in the SUV. Rodriguez reportedly had seven felony convictions prior to this arrest.
  • Alisha Rudd was sentenced on Jan. 20 to one year, three months and 16 days in state prison after pleading no contest to possession of methamphetamine, possession of amphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. Rudd was arrested Jan. 4 of this year during a traffic stop.
  • Joshua Stevens was sentenced Jan. 23 to one year in county jail after pleading no contest to possession of methamphetamine. Stevens was arrested in April 2021 by a member of the Okeechobee Narcotics Task Force.
  • Aubrey Waldron was sentenced Jan. 20 to nine months in county jail after pleading no contest to possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. Waldron was arrested in August 2022 during an undercover operation by the Okeechobee Narcotics Task Force.
  • George Acevedo was sentenced Jan. 20 to two years probation after pleading no contest to sex offender/failing to report a change of vehicle. Acevedo was arrested in Sept. 2022.
  • Kysell Merritt-Richardson was sentenced on Jan. 20 to 18 months in state prison after pleading no contest to carrying a concealed firearm without a permit, resisting arrest, sale of cocaine and possession with intent to sell. He was arrested in August 2022 on drug charges and in April 2022 on the weapon charge. Kysell was also arrested in October 2021 and charged with home invasion and aggravated battery, but those charges were later dropped.
  • James Simmons was sentenced Jan. 30 to eight months in county jail after pleading no contest to battery and battery on a pregnant woman. Simmons was arrested in October 2022.
  • Shane Sprague was sentenced on Jan. 30 to eight months in county jail after pleading no contest to resisting and officer and battery on law enforcement. Sprague was arrested in Sept. 2022.
  • Michael Graf was sentenced Jan. 27 to nine months in county jail after pleading no contest to dealing in stolen property. A grand theft auto charge was dropped. Graf was arrested in Feb. 2022 after he tried to sell a stolen firearm to a pawn shop.
  • Damian Azucey was sentenced Jan. 20 to two years drug offender probation after pleading no contest to possession of marijuana over 20 grams. Adjudication was withheld. Azucey was arrested in July 2022.
  • Kristopher Barton was sentenced Jan. 20 to three years probation after pleading no contest to failing to return leased property. Adjudication was withheld. Barton was arrested in August 2022 in Martin County.
  • Destiny Shreves was sentenced Jan. 30 to three years probation after pleading no contest to sale of Ecstasy, sale of synthetic cannabinoid, possession of cocaine, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. Adjudication was held on all charges except the possession of drug paraphernalia charge. Shreves was arrested in June 2020.
  • Joseph Castro was sentenced Jan. 30 to two years probation after pleading no contest to burglary, criminal mischief and petit theft. Adjudication was withheld. Castro was arrested October 2020.
  • Frank Williams was sentenced Jan. 30 to one year and four months in state prison after pleading no contest to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of marijuana less than 20 grams. Williams was arrested in July 2022.
  • Michael Harden was sentenced Jan. 27 to five years probation after pleading no contest to child abuse. Harden was arrested in Sept. 2020.

A no contest plea does not mean the defendant admits guilt. It means he/she chooses not to fight the charges for one reason or another. The effect of the plea is virtually identical to that of a guilty plea. 

Withheld adjudication generally refers to a decision by a judge to put a person on probation without an adjudication of guilt. It means an individual is not found guilty legally by the court. If the person successfully completes the terms of probation and has no subsequent offenses, no further action will be taken on the case, and the offense for which adjudication was withheld is typically not considered a prior conviction for purposes of habitual offender sentencing.

in the courts

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